~ Creative Raspberry Pi Area

Step 2 – Install RPI softwares (OS+tools)

I use “Raspbian wheezy”, an optimized version of Debian for your RPI. I will not describe here how to download it and format your SD card. There are already too many websites describing these simple operations. (for example here to download and here to install with MacOsX). This step is quite easy, but take around 20 minutes to write your 8 Gb SD card. Don’t panic 🙂

2. Network configuration

Same I will not describe it. Depending on your network configuration (with cable, with wifi, direct connexion to your internet box or via a pc-router, and so on), find on google the right way to configure your network.

I simply connected my RPI to my MacBook Pro using a short ethernet cable. Configuration is made using this instruction. It works pretty fine. After this step, try to connect to inernet using the browser or with a cmd line “ping google.fr“.

3. Share directories

It’s a good idea to share directory between your computer and your RPI. It’ll allow you to do backup, edit file quicker and transfer files (like face pictures).

Since I’m using a mac, I installed Netatalk (it works first time. I just reboot my RPI and my Mac saw it).

sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install netatalk

4. Change your background image

Well, of course this step is not mandatory, but you’ll spend a lot of time in front of your RPI, thus, put a nice picture is always better for motivation. I picked a nice Stormtrooper wallpaper

5. Do a backup

At this stage, you have a good and working-well Raspberry Pi. It’s time to do your first backup.

On a mac or a linux box, insert your SD card and identify its disk number (using df – h). In example below, my sdcard is rdisk1. Warning, betwwen if (input) and of (output), otherwise you will crash your card. Same, if you don’t use the right disk id, you will crash/backup your mac !